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Posted: March 27, 2025
Rapid City
Agenda Item Summary

Agenda Item Ref. #: 25UR008 - Rapid City Greenway Tract

Agenda Item Title:

25UR008 - Major Amendment to a Conditional Use Permit to allow an annual music festival

Origination Group:
Planning Commission
Origination Meeting Date:
03/27/2025
Petitioner:
LifeLight Hills Alive
Staff Contact:
Cassie Hayes, Current Planner II
Location:
North of Omaha Street between Mount Rushmore Road and 5th Street
Agenda Item Summary:
The applicant has submitted a Major Amendment to a Conditional Use Permit application to allow an annual music festival in the Flood Hazard District (FH). Specifically, the applicant is requesting to hold the LifeLight Hills Alive music festival in Memorial Park, which has taken place at this location since 1998. The property is comprised of 39.96 acres and Hills Alive utilizes the northern half of the property for festival activities and vendors. The applicant is seeking approval of the 2-day music festival to occur annually on the third full weekend of July. The LifeLight Hills Alive music festival is anticipated to draw an attendance of 30,000-40,000 people over the weekend. Set up for the event will begin on the Wednesday prior to the festival and tear down will occur on the Monday following the festival. The applicant is proposing to place several temporary structures for festival activities including concert stages, children’s activities and inflatables, and tents for food and merchandise vendors, first aid, ministry, and other festival activities. Approval of a Floodplain Development Permit and a Temporary Use Permit is required every year prior to the event. For parking during the event, festival attendees will be able to utilize the surrounding public parking lots where available. The applicant has also secured parking agreements with nearby property owners to offer parking to festival attendees during the event. Additionally, the applicant has stated that they will encourage festival attendees to carpool, rideshare, or park off-site and walk to the festival to help mitigate the traffic impacts and parking constraints. To promote safety during the event, LifeLight Hills Alive employs an Emergency Response Coordinator, utilizes an Emergency Response Plan, coordinates a Safety Team responsible for monitoring the festival grounds, and partners with the Rapid City Police Department to ensure that the festival is a safe event for all. On February 22, 2024, the Planning Commission approved a Major Amendment to a Conditional Use Permit (File #23UR034) to allow the LifeLight Hills Alive festival to occur in July 2024 only, as LifeLight had become the new operator of the event and they had considered expanding the festival activities and operations. LifeLight Hills Alive intends to continue operating the music festival at Memorial Park annually and works closely with City Staff regarding festival activities and future plans. Staff is recommending that this Major Amendment to a Conditional Use Permit request be approved for a 3-year period, to include the 2025, 2026, and 2027 festivals, with the stipulation that any modifications to the operations plan and/or site plan which increase the size, scale, or scope of the event or any changes to the operator of the event will require a subsequent Major Amendment to the Conditional Use Permit.

Funding Source & Fiscal Impact (if applicable):

Funding Cost Center

Recommendations:

Origination Recommendation Action:
Approve with Stipulations
Origination Recommendation Notes:
Planning Commission Approved with Stipulations outlined in the Project Report: 3/27/2025

Attachments & Links to Download:

25UR008 Project Report

25UR008 Attachments

Published in 2025 - PL Agenda Items

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